Combining Short- and Long-Read Sequencing Technologies to Identify SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Wastewater.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater was used to track the evolution and emergence of variant lineages and gauge infection levels in the community, informing appropriate public health responses without relying solely on clinical testing. As more sublineages were discovered, it increased the difficulty in identifying distinct variants in a mixed population sample, particularly those without a known lineage. Here, we compare the sequencing technology from Illumina and from Oxford Nanopore Technologies, in order to determine their efficacy at detecting variants of differing abundance, using 248 wastewater samples from various Quebec and Ontario cities.

Care for sexual health in oncology survey: Discussions about sexual health with people with cancer in the context of the obligation to provide informed consent.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the impacts of cancer treatment on sexual health in a sample of people who had been treated for mixed types of cancer; to describe discussions they had with professionals about sexual health that occurred during cancer care; and to consider the extent to which these discussions were sufficient to enable participants to give informed consent for the sexual side effect of cancer treatment.

Method: A cross-sectional, online survey using a convenience sample of people with cancer was recruited via UK cancer charities. Eligibility criteria included having received treatment and follow-up care for any type of cancer in the UK during the previous 10 years.

US of the Penis: Beyond Erectile Dysfunction.

High-frequency US, with a linear transducer and gray-scale, color, and spectral Doppler US techniques, is the primary imaging modality for evaluation of the penis. It can allow delineation of anatomy and assessment of dynamic blood flow; it is easily available and noninvasive or minimally invasive; it is cost effective; and it is well tolerated by patients. US assessment after pharmacologic induction of erection is an additional tool in assessing patients with suspected vasculogenic impotence, and also in selected patients with penile trauma and suspected Peyronie disease.

SARS-CoV-2 rapidly evolves lineage-specific phenotypic differences when passaged repeatedly in immune-naïve mice.

The persistence of SARS-CoV-2 despite the development of vaccines and a degree of herd immunity is partly due to viral evolution reducing vaccine and treatment efficacy. Serial infections of wild-type (WT) SARS-CoV-2 in Balb/c mice yield mouse-adapted strains with greater infectivity and mortality. We investigate if passaging unmodified B.

3D Printed Osteoblast-Alginate/Collagen Hydrogels Promote Survival, Proliferation and Mineralization at Low Doses of Strontium Calcium Polyphosphate.

The generation of biomaterials via 3D printing is an emerging biotechnology with novel methods that seeks to enhance bone regeneration. Alginate and collagen are two commonly used biomaterials for bone tissue engineering and have demonstrated biocompatibility. Strontium (Sr) and Calcium phosphate (CaP) are vital elements of bone and their incorporation in composite materials has shown promising results for skeletal repair.

Implementation of a Physical Activity Vital Sign in Primary Care: Associations Between Physical Activity, Demographic Characteristics, and Chronic Disease Burden.

Introduction: Physical activity is important to prevent and manage multiple chronic medical conditions. The objective of this study was to describe the implementation of a physical activity vital sign (PAVS) in a primary care setting and examine the association between physical activity with demographic characteristics and chronic disease burden.

Methods: We extracted data from the electronic medical records of patients who had visits from July 2018 through January 2020 in a primary care clinic in which PAVS was implemented as part of the intake process.

Restoring carbapenem efficacy: a novel carbapenem companion targeting metallo-β-lactamases in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales.

Background: The dissemination of MBLs compromises effective use of many β-lactams in the treatment of patients with life-threatening bacterial infections. Predicted global increases in the prevalence of MBL-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are being realized, yielding infections that are untreatable with existing therapies including newly approved β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations. Developing MBL inhibitors (MBLIs) now is essential to address the growing threat that MBL-producing CRE pose to patients.

Transforming Population-Based Depression Care: a Quality Improvement Initiative Using Remote, Centralized Care Management.

Introduction: With the growing prevalence of value-based contracts, health systems are incentivized to consider population approaches to service delivery, particularly for chronic conditions like depression. To this end, UW Medicine implemented the Depression-Population Approach to Health (PATH) program in primary care (PC) as part of a system-wide Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) quality improvement (QI) initiative.

Aim: To examine the feasibility of a pilot PATH program and its impact on clinical and process-of-care outcomes.

Non-infectious comorbidity in patients with multiple sclerosis: A national cohort study in Sweden.

Background: Comorbidity is of significant concern in multiple sclerosis (MS). Few population-based studies have reported conditions occurring in MS after diagnosis, especially in contemporary cohorts.

Objective: To explore incident comorbidity, mortality and hospitalizations in MS, stratified by age and sex.

Comparison of blur and magnification effects on stereopsis: overall and meridional, monocularly- and binocularly-induced.

Purpose: To determine whether monocularly- and binocularly-induced spherical and meridional blur and aniseikonia had similar effects on stereopsis thresholds.

Methods: Twelve participants with normal binocular vision viewed McGill modified random dot stereograms to determine stereoacuities in a four-alternative forced-choice procedure. Astigmatism was induced by placing trial lenses in front of the eyes.

Infections in patients with multiple sclerosis: A national cohort study in Sweden.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have an increased risk of infections, but few population-based studies have reported infections occurring in MS in the years immediately after diagnosis.

Objective: To explore incident infections in MS, stratified by age and sex.

Methods: In a Swedish population-based cohort study 6602 incident MS patients (aged ≥18 years), matched at diagnosis with 61,828 matched MS-free individuals were identified between 1st January 2008 and 31st December 2016, using national registers.

Diagnostic Ultrasound Services During the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic.

Nosocomial transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to frontline health care workers is well known, and health care workers may inadvertently become vectors for onward transmission. Ultrasound (US) service providers are at significant risk because scanning usually requires prolonged close patient contact. The bulky US equipment may also facilitate fomite transmission of disease.

Development and validation of the Karitane Family Outcomes Tool.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop the Karitane Family Outcomes Tool (KFOT), a brief parent-report questionnaire to measure outcomes of Australian Early Parenting Centres (EPCs) and similar programmes worldwide.

Design And Methods: The study was conducted in two stages. In Stage One, an initial item pool (80 items) was developed via focus group discussions with clinical experts and parents.

Incident cardiovascular disease in patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis: A multi-database study.

Background: Recent data on rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients after MS diagnosis are sparse.

Objective: To describe incident CVD in MS patients after diagnosis compared with a matched non-MS population.

Methods: We conducted a matched cohort study in two separate electronic medical databases, the United States Department of Defense military health care system and the United Kingdom's Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD.

Physical Activity in Adults With an Amputation as Assessed With a Self-Reported Exercise Vital Sign.

Background: Physical activity (PA) is important for the prevention and treatment of numerous chronic medical conditions. Individuals with a limb amputation face unique challenges for staying physically active. There are few studies evaluating PA of civilians with amputation in the United States.

Ribosome-Inactivating Protein α-Momorcharin Derived from Edible Plant Induces Inflammatory Responses by Activating the NF-kappaB and JNK Pathways.

Alpha-momorcharin (α-MMC), a member of the ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) family, has been found in the seeds of (bitter melon). α-MMC contributes a number of pharmacological activities; however, its inflammatory properties have not been well studied. Here, we aim to determine the inflammatory responses induced by recombinant α-MMC and identify the underlying mechanisms using cell culture and animal models.

Multi-database study of multiple sclerosis: identification, validation and description of MS patients in two countries.

Objective: To describe the resources and methods used to identify and validate multiple sclerosis (MS) and match non-MS patients in each of the two databases, and to characterize their demographics, comorbidities and concomitant medications.

Methods: This study was conducted in two separate electronic medical databases, the United States Department of Defense (DOD) military health care system and the United Kingdom's Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD. We identified patients with a first recorded diagnosis of MS in 2001-2016 (CPRD) or 2004-2017 (DOD) and matched non-MS patients using algorithms appropriate to each database.

Identifying Patients Who Are Likely to Receive Most of Their Care From a Specific Health Care System: Demonstration via Secondary Analysis.

Background: In the United States, health care is fragmented in numerous distinct health care systems including private, public, and federal organizations like private physician groups and academic medical centers. Many patients have their complete medical data scattered across these several health care systems, with no particular system having complete data on any of them. Several major data analysis tasks such as predictive modeling using historical data are considered impractical on incomplete data.

Using professional expertise in partnership with families: A new model of capacity building.

The first five years of parenting are critical to children's development. Parents are known to respond best to interventions with a partnership-based approach, yet child and family health nurses (CFHNs) report some tension between employing their expertise and maintaining a partnership relationship. This article identifies ways in which CFHNs skilfully use their professional expertise, underpinned by helping qualities and interpersonal skills, to assist families build confidence and capacity, and thus buffer against threats to parent and child well-being.

Sensitization of melanoma cells to alkylating agent-induced DNA damage and cell death via orchestrating oxidative stress and IKKβ inhibition.

Nitrosourea represents one of the most active classes of chemotherapeutic alkylating agents for metastatic melanoma. Treatment with nitrosoureas caused severe systemic side effects which hamper its clinical use. Here, we provide pharmacological evidence that reactive oxygen species (ROS) induction and IKKβ inhibition cooperatively enhance nitrosourea-induced cytotoxicity in melanoma cells.

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Initiating Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors: A Retrospective Study of UK General Practice.

Purpose: The majority of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) will develop chronic kidney disease in their lifetime. Because most dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors require dose adjustment in patients with T2DM and renal impairment, we aimed to understand how these treatments are prescribed in UK clinical practice, and to determine whether recommended dose adjustments are being made at initial prescription.

Methods: This retrospective, descriptive cohort study analyzed data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD).

Critical Role of Alpha-Toxin and Protective Effects of Its Neutralization by a Human Antibody in Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes large-scale epidemics of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) within communities across the United States. Animal models that reproduce ABSSSI as they occur in humans are urgently needed to test new therapeutic strategies. Alpha-toxin plays a critical role in a variety of staphylococcal infection models in mice, but its role in the pathogenesis of ABSSSI remains to be elucidated in rabbits, which are similar to humans in their susceptibility to S.